My last post (Making It in the Middle) was on trying to figure out what it means to be successful as a writer. Now, I want to address the “is my writing any good” question. Most writers worry about that. Even very successful ones — some of whom left instructions to destroy their unpublished work after their deaths like Franz Kafka, Virgil and Harlan Ellison. Thank goodness, other minds prevailed. Good/Bad vs Acceptance/Rejection Sometimes we are so in love with … Read More »

Something I hear a lot is, “Why don’t published authors want to help newer writers?” or someone will say, “I just need a quick look at my query, my opening chapter, my whole manuscript!” Or, “I don’t know why that author won’t refer me to his agent.” Well, there are a lot of reasons. For one thing, authors are busy. They have contracts with deadlines. There are a lot more unpublished writers than published ones. Published authors probably already have … Read More »

A writer’s mind rarely rests. If a writer isn’t in front of the computer, their brain is most likely composing, editing, or solving a plot problem. It’s more than enough for a mind to manage if there’s just one story floating around, but what happens if another one steps in and tugs at your sleeve? Referee or Mediate Perhaps the stories vying for their time need to learn how to take turns. Setting aside specific days for each story will … Read More »

When I began to seriously consider writing and getting books published, I asked myself a very career-minded question:  How will I know when I’ve succeeded as an author? It seemed to me there should be a definitive answer to that question. At that time, I answered it from my perspective as a librarian. I liked when I could go to the shelves and retrieve a couple of books by a favorite writer. So, I thought if I can get ten … Read More »

All of us are creative beings. We thrive on inspiration, deep emotions, and messages from our subconscious to get writing. But, as writers, we also have to practice good self-care to ensure we aren’t burnt out. Feeling stressed, depressed, or drained will not help you. I decided to write this blog after realizing it took me a year to process the stresses and uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. I barely wrote or read anything during quarantine, which was strong evidence … Read More »

On a road trip to Maine there were four of us, plus two google-navigating cell phones, one road atlas and a GPS device to “bind them all.” Needless to say, whoever was driving was besieged by three or four opinions about where to turn and which was the best route. (After the GPS led us on a few merry dead-ends, we could only partially count on her expertise.) The driver was in the unenviable position of glancing at the GPS … Read More »